My thoughts on the Phillies season.

The Phils are unable to sweep the fish as they lose to the Marlins, 9-2.

A bullpen meltdown in the eighth inning ends the Phils chances to sweep the fish before they lose to the Marlins, 9-2.

The Marlins took the lead in the fourth as, with runners on the corners, and with nobody out, Greg Dobbs hits an RBI single, knocking in Carlos Lee, who had started the inning off with a walk, then stopped at third base on Giancarlo Stanton’s double, giving the Marlins a 1-0 lead, while sending Stanton, who had just doubled, up to third base. The Marlins then made it a 2-0 lead as Donovan Solano hits a sacrifice fly, scoring Stanton. The Phils got a run back in the fifth as Ty Wigginton hits a lead-off home run, his tenth home run of the season, cutting the Marlins’ lead down to 2-1. The Phils tied the game up at two-all in the sixth as, with two men on, and with two men out, Wigginton hits an RBI single, knocking in Kevin Frandsen, who had earlier singled, then stopped at second base on Chase Utley’s walk, while sending Utley, who had just walked, up to third base. The Marlins retook the lead in their half of the sixth as, with two men out, Dobbs hits a solo home run, his fourth home run of the season, giving the Marlins a 3-2 lead. The Marlins added to their lead in the eighth as, with runners on the corners, and with nobody out, Stanton hits an RBI single, knocking in Jose Reyes, who had started the inning off with a walk, then stopped at third base on Lee’s single, giving the Marlins a 4-2 lead, while sending Lee, who had just singled, up to second base. Four batters later, with the bases loaded, after both Lee and Stanton had moved up a base on Dobbs fly out to center field for the inning’s first out, and an intentional walk to Solano, and with two men out, the Marlins bust the game wide open as Austin Kearns hits a two-run single, knocking in both Lee and Stanton, giving the Marlins a 6-2 lead, while sending Solano up to second base. The Marlins then took an 8-2 lead as Bryan Pattersen hits a two-run double, scoring both Solano and Kearns. The Marlins then made it a 9-2 lead as Gorkys Hernandez hits an RBI single, knocking in Kearns. That would end up being the final score as Ryan Webb pitched a scoreless ninth.

Roy Halladay (6-7, 3.80) took the lost as he went seven innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out seven. B.J. Rosenberg pitched to three batters, getting none of them out, as he gave up three runs, on two hits and a walk. Raul Valdes pitched a third of an inning, giving up a run on a walk. Michael Schwimer pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up two runs on three hits, while striking out a batter. Mark Buehrle (10-11, 3.74) got the win as he pitched seven innings, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk, while he struck out three. Mike Dunn collected his fourteenth hold of the season as he pitched a scoreless inning, walking a batter, while striking out one. Ryan Webb pitched a scoreless inning.

The Phils had only five hits in the game, with Ty Wigginton leading the team with two hits, a single and a home run, knocking in both Phils’ runs. Jimmy Rollins, Kevin Frandsen and John Mayberry, Jr. had the other three Phils’ hits, all singles, as the offense is once again shut down by Buehrle.

The Phils (54-63, 4th East) will start a four-game series with the Brewers (52-64, 4th Central) starting with a night game tonight. The game will be played at Miller Park and is supposed to start at 8:10 pm EDT (7:10 pm CDT). The Phils will send to the mound Cliff Lee (2-7, 3.85), who is coming off a lost to the Cardinals on August 11, as he pitched seven innings, giving up four runs on ten hits, while he struck out six, in the Phils’ 4-1 lost. He will be trying for his third win of the season. The Brewers will counter with Marco Estrado (0-5, 4.36), who is coming off a no-decision against the Astros on August 11, as he went four innings, giving up four runs on seven hits, while striking out three, in the Brewers’ 6-5 extra-innings lost. He will be trying to get his first win of the year. The Phils will be trying to start off the series with a win.

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